Railway-switch.



G.A.LANGD0N.

RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED HAY 11, 1912.

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' 'Bv` TroRNEY v Asame and owing to street dirt linding its Waysii'npl'e'and efficientmeans for maintaining nl the vbot-tom ofv theheel endof the tongue in closecon'tact withI the 'which it rests and forUNITED sTATEs PATENT CLAUDE A. LANGDON, or HARRISBURG,

RAILWAY-SWITCH To all whom, t may concern cation.

Be it known that I, CLAUDE A. L .;iNGDoN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Harrisburg, in the of Pennsylvania, haver invented certainnew and useful Improvements in f Railway- Switches, of which thefollowing is a specifi.-

Tliis invent-ion relates to railway switches of tliatclass. wherein -aswitch tongue is. mounted to move laterally-upon a floor portion of aframe structure in \vliicl i grooves the flanges of. wheels fromtl'ieto'ngue, and

are formed -to receive and-*guide Ythem to and wherein.- the heel vendfloor portion on which the tongue'is mounted.

l In switches of this class i-tf'is desirable to "maintain the `top of20 the heel end of `the tongue xiii or near the horizontal plane of thet'plof the tread portion^ against which the li'eel'flof the tongueabn-ts, and it is also de sirablefto"inaintainfa"tight joint between theheel 'end o f'the tongue and the tread portion against which it abuts,`in order that wheels may be jarred as little as possible in passinglover the switch, and in order that the Ahamnier-like action of wheelsupon parts 'of the switch structure may be minimized. iIt has beenffounddiilioult to maintain the parts in this desirable condition owing to thewear between'ithe parts, the wear being greatly in- .creased by streetdirt finding rits way between the bottom of the heel endl of the switchtongue and the floor portionssupporting the between the lieel end of thetongue and the igainst the tongue a combined downward and rearwardypressure acting to hold it down upon vthe Hoor tread portion againstwhich it abuts.

y The objectof my invention is to overcomel this'difhculty by theprovision of a novel,

Hoor portion. upon maintaining the heel endof the tongue in .closeContact with the fread portion against' which it abuts.

eti-uct the said means so that the part enafging the switch tongue will"exert directly hold the heel end of the tongue back'against 4 theAabutting treadportion.` A Yfurther object. .of my invention '1s.too(,in-jy ,-.S'Huct the. `sand means se that if. wai :auto

Specification of Letteis'ifatent. ai i Application filed May 11 1912.`Seri-'a1 No. 695,586.

county ofDaupliin and State ofthe switch tongueabut-s'againstl a treadportion risingfrom the g' Referring to the draw vforni of embodiment of.n ignates the frame structure or basezofzairail- Y A further object ofmy invention is to con' portion and also acting to' inay-socciir betweenthe tongue the abutting' tread portion." .4-

A further object ofmiy ventii s tofeonstruct the said means soliatatflie pairt engaging; the tongue' willienggeiito r=thefslinje ot?the axis of the pivot on".which.fthe toiigue is, moved laterally ton'ifi-nimize thefwean between the engaging paitandf tlie tongue;

.and a further objectioriny'iinwentienffis'to construct thesaidmeai'issort-liat-Lifi wilf-not he necessaryA for `any;finte'grail prtlfif the Y' switch tongue .to project belofw tit-si .'hottom faceresting on the floor ipo 1titinto permit the uninterrupted'niach'ini'n'g 0E the bottom of the tongue; insuring thel acc-ne ratefitting ot' the tongnetotli'etlooripoiition upon which it rests. 'i lif.;

My invention consiststinwthe va'iiionsnovel features of construction;a-ndf'coinbinatins of i parts hereinafter dcsciiibedwanctqorticnlarlyclaimed. Y

In the` accompanyingdia; ingv ing my.inventionz-Figurel i 4 plangviewof. a port-ion `of a railax'ay i clfi"stil=i;ctiii"e embodying myinvention,Y showing th'ezfhe'el end ofthe switch tongiieandiadifieiitfp'rts.

`Fig. 2, is a longitudinal:section; onlinerZ- o f Fig. l. Fig. 3, isarftiansverseisection, on line 3 3 of Fig. l. Eig 4ta aat-ra versesection, on line t-l of Fi e l y invention', {findes- Thisfraine:ionbasefzinclfudes a floor portion 6 providedkwitlndbwnwartllgiextending supporting walls Zspaced and arranged toprovide a' irmiand:frigid frame for the switch structure. Rising sfroinronezfside of thelicor portion 6 alnd e'iitcndiiigiloigitw dinally of the frame -:is 'atreadiportiend,

way switch.

portion G and extending'longitudinally 'of the framer 5 isaguardis-portioniQ" 'Resting upon the Hoor portionI-'between th portion8 and the guardi-portion switch tongue 10, the heell'e'nd of whic i eadf thie abuts against a tread portioiifl'lf'inising .ifroiniby theioorgportion 6 betweenf'the-.tread portion 8 and' guardl 'portion 9.'.Formed betweeny the Y 'tread portions 8 vand-fill and betweenthetreadportion l1 and the guardpoiftionl-Qi are -the usualf groo'ves'lQandfrlgjrespectively, to `receiveftlie lianges of wheelslantiguidwthemto. and ffroin" the respectivesides501i.thttingue in the usual manner.lThe entire frame l.,

structure 5 may be formed in a single caeting or, as is common in switchstructures of this class and as shown in the drawings, the top of thefloor portion 6 the tread portions .8 and 11 and the guard portion 9 maybe formed in a separate casting 15 seated in a casting forming the mainbody of the frame structure The heel end of the tongue 10 is formed intoa. large pivothead la which is mounted between the tread portion 8 andguard portion 9 Vin a manner to pivot the heel end of the tongue to theframe structure to permit the point end of the tongue to be movedlaterally into engagement with either the tread portion 8 orguard'portion 9 as the tongue is operated in the usual manner. The head14 and the sides of the body of the tongue l0 are grooved to formeontinuations ot the grooves 12- a-nd 13, ae shown.

When herein l speak ot rearwardly, l mean in the direction from thetongue l() to the tread portion 11, as iindicated .by the arrow inFig. 1. i

Formed in the bottom of the head 1l or in the bottom of the heel end of`the tongue 10 is a cavity 16 which xtends upwardly and then rearwardlyproviding the tongue with a bearing part 17 above the bottom :tace ofthe tongue and below the rearward portion of the cavity 16. The floorpor tion G beneath thetorward portion of the cavity 16 is provided withan opening 18., and extending through the opening 18 and into the cavity16 is the upper end ot a link or member '19. The upperv end of thismember 19 is 'ma-de hook form and extends over and engages the roundedtop of the bearing part 17 and also'the rounded torward face of the part17 slightly below the top thereof. The area of `the enga-ged fzweo ofthe parts 17 andv19 ie very small and such area is `on the vertical lineforming the center or axis of the head 14 on which the head turna as thetongue isunoved from side to side. It will therefore be seen that therewill be very little riction and consequently very little wear betweenthe parte 17 and 19. The lower portion ot the link or member 19 extendsdownwardly and rearwardly from the cavity and the lower end of themember 19 is provided with a forwardly extending hook which extendsbeneath and is engaged by a lever ,120 between the ends thereof. The.lever 2O extends transversely beneath the floor portion v(i, and oneend of the lever 2O is t'ulcrun'ied at 21 against the frame structureand the other end of the lever is bi'l'urcated at 22 tor a purposepresently explained. The. loyer 20 is fulerumed to move parallel to itsside faces and parallel to a downwardly and rearwardly extending, inclined plane, eo that it' downward and rearward pressure be applied to thebturcated end of the lever i i i l i l y,

1 the heel gaging the walls ot the 20, Such pressure will l;:.transmitted to the part 1T et the tongue l0. thereby forcing oud t thetongue down into cle-5e Contact with elle .floor portion o and at theSame time forcing the heel end ol the tongue back into close coulaitwith the tread portion ll.

To exert the desired downward and rearward pressure against the lever20, l provide the following: llxtending through the biturcateiil end of'the lever 2G and parallel to the inclined plane through which the lever20 is tulcrumed'to more is a bolt 23.

The lower and rearward end of the bolt l extends through a slot "2l inan inclined rib or wall 25ct' the trame- 5` and the lower end of thebolt 52% is provided with a square head 2G seated in a square Socket inln-- bottom of the wall 25. The head 2t?, en-

is seated prevents upward movementot 'tn-s. bolt. and prevents it fromturning. 'll'le slot is madefin key-hole form, as clearly shown in Fig.3, to permit the head 2.5ito we lowered thnnlgh the wide partot theslot, in assemliling the parte, before the shank ot' tin-bolt' is movedinto the narrow portion of the slot where itreste. The bolt 23 extendsup from the `wall 25 through and beyond the bifurcated end ot the lever20, and a nut 27 is screwed on to the upper end of the bolt. The bottomoit the nut 27 engages the top olf a coiled spring which encirclee thebolt 23, and the 'bottom ot the spring engages the top ot the biturcatedend et the lever 20, the spring 2S being compressed between the nut 2Tand lever lt will thus be seen that the spring 28 acts to press thelever 2O and therewith the member 19 and tongue l0 downwardly andrearwardly, that the heel end of the tongue 10 is thus held iirmly backagainst the tread portion 1l and vfirmly down upon the floor portion t3,and that the spring 2S will automatically talle up any wear that occursbetween the tongue 10 and the tread portion 1,1 and between the tongue10 and the door portion t3. By adjusting the nut 2T upon the bolt 23,the pressure ot the spring 2S against the lever 20 may be nicelyregulated. The bifurcated end of the lever :20 and the bolt are locatedwithin a box :'29 forming a part of the 'trame 5 and extending laterallyfrom the main body thereof. The topolf the box 29 is provided with asuitable removable cover plate 30 to atlord access to the interior ot'the box for the adjustment ol the nut 37 or tor the removal or`replacement of the parte employed in the mechanism for holding theswitch tongue iu place.

l claim: 4

1. ln a railway switch, the combination of a `frame structure having afloor portion and a tread portion rising from the floor socket in whichi;

' portion portion,I

against gaging va part of said tongue adjacent the heel end thereof,andAmeans for exerting a combined downward and rearward pressure againstthat part of said member engaged with said tongue.

2. In a railway switch, the combination of a frame structure having afloor portion and a tread portion rising from the floor portion, aswitch tongue upon 'said floor portion and having its'heel end abuttingagainst said tread portion, a member engaging a party of said tongueadjacent the heel end thereof, and means for exert-ing a combineddowiiwardfand rearward pressure against that part of said member engagedwith said tongue, said means including a lever fulcrume'd to moveparallel to a plane between a vertical plane'and a horizontal plane.

3. .In a railway switch, thecombination ofafraine structure having aHoor portion and a tread portion'rising from the Hoor portion, a switchtongue upon said Hoor portion and having its heel end abutting against;said tread portion, a member engaging a pait'of. said ton-gue adjacentthe heel end thereof, a lever ,engaging said member' and fulcrumed tomove parallel to a plane' between a vertical plane and a horizontalplane, and means for exerting pressure against said. lever-,said leverand said member acting under said pressure to force the heel end of thetongue downwardly and rearwardly.

4. In a railway switch, the combination of a frame structure having .afloor portion and a' tread portion risingA f rom the floor portion, aswitch tongue upon said,A floor portion and having a pivothead oiiitheheel end thereof mounted to turn in said frame `structure and to abut`'against lsaid tread,

portion, a member engaging a part of said tongue on' the line of theaxis `of said head,

and means for exerting a combined downward and rearward pressure againstthatpart. of said member engaged with `'said tongue. 5. In a railwayswitch, ythe combination of a frame struc .ure having al floor portionand a tread portion rising from tlie`iloor portion,y a switch tonguevupon said floor portion and having a pivot head on the heel end thereofmounted to turn in said frame structure and to abut against said treadportion, a member engaging a part of said tongue on the lineof the axisof said head, and means for exerting a combined downward and rearwardpressure against that part of Ysaid member engaged .with said tongue,said means including a lever fulparallel to a planebetween a verticalplane and a horizontal plane.

thereof and beingengaged lbyj portion,

`under said means said tongue downwardly and rearwardly. i

` 6. In a railwayswitch, thejcombination of a frame structure havingafloor portion, a switch tongue mounted on' saidjfioorportion, a leverhaving one* end fulcri'imedagainst said frame structurefmean's"forex*erting downward pressure against'the other end' of said lever, anda=-inemberfeiigaging part ofsaid tongue adjacent thefhle'el-end "aid'lvtween its fulcrum end andfs'ai 7. Ina railway switch,` of a framestructure having-ia -floor*portion and a tread portion 'risingfroii'i`thev lHoor tion and having` its heel end abutting against said treadportion, a .lever having one fulcrumed against said frameistr'uctiire,means for exerting pressure"againstthe other end of saidlever,-and'almemberengaging a part of vsaid tongue adjacent the a switehton gue uponisaid flo'rpor-` heel end thereof and being engaged byzsaidlever between its fulcrumedend and f lsaid. means, said lever and saidmember acting to force the' heelend `,of

8. In akrailway switch, the combination of a frame structure having afloor portion,

-a switch tongue mountedon'sa'i'dj Hoor'fp'orftion, a lever fulcrumedagainstI said"-frax`ii`e structure, a link member extending over andengaging the upper portion of a part of said tongue adjacent the heelend thereof and extending under and engaging the lbottom of said lever,and means forcing downwardly that part of said lever engaged with saidlink member. v T 9. In a railway switch, the combination ofa framelstructure having a floor portion and a tread portion rising from theHoor p ortion, a switch tongue'upon said floor portion and having itsheel end abutting against said tread portion, a lever fulcrumed againstsaid frame structure, a link member extending over and engaging theupper port-ion of a part of said tongue adjacent the hee] end thereofand extending under and engaging the bottom of said lever, and meansforcing Adoi'vnwardlyand rearwardly that portion of said lever engagedwith ksaid link member.

10. In a railway switch, the combinationl of a frame structure having aHoor portion, a switch tongue upon said ioor portion and having a cavity.formed in the bottom of the heel end thereof above the plane of thetop` ofsaid floor portion, a member extending into said cavity and overand engaging a part of said tongue, and means for exerting downwardpressure against that portion of said member engaged with said tongue. 1

i 11. In a railway switch, the combination of a frame structure havingav floor portion andAv a tread portion rising from the floor portion, aswitchA tongue upon saidfloor ortion and abutting against said Atreadpoi'-,

tion and having a cavity formed in the bottom of the heel end thereofabove the Aplane o1" the top of said tioor portion, a member extendinginto said cavity and over 12. In a railway switch, the combination ofaframe structure having a tioor portion and a tread portion rising fromthe floor portion, a switch tongue upon said floor portion and abuttingagainst said tread portion and having a Cavity formed in the bottom ofthe heel end thereof above the plane of the top of said fioor portion, amember ei;- tending into said cavity and over and ,engaging apart ofsaid tongue, and means for exertingdownward Apressure against thatportion of said member engaged with said tongue, said means including alever fuloruined to move parallel to a plane between a vertical planeand a horizontal plane.

13. 1n a railway switch, the combination of a frame structure haging afloor portion, a switch tongueupon said ioor' portion and having apavityformed in the bottoni of the heel end 'thereof above-the plane ot thetop of said floor portion, a lever fulcruined l roaeffee against saidframe structure, a link member portion, a switch tongue upon said floorpor tion and abutting against said tread portion and having a cavityJformed in the bottoni of the heel end thereof above the plane of thetop of said fioor portion, a link member having one end extending intosaid cavity and over and engaging a part of said tongue therein andhaving the other end extending under and engaging the bottom of saidlever, and means forcing downwardly and rearwardly thlit portion of said.lever engaged with. said link member.

1n testimony whereof 1 afiix my signatnre in presence of two witnesses.

CLAUDE A. LANGDON.

1/"itnesses ALBERT R. PEREGOY, iV. H Sinnnr.

downwardly that part

